A black panther is on the loose in Newry (no, seriously)

We put it in the headline and we're putting it here again. This isn't a joke.

The PSNI based in Newry have appealed to people in the Moneymore Road area to be vigilant for a large, black cat fitting the description of a panther. The report was lodged on Friday morning by a resident, who claimed to have seen the creature walking on the road.

This isn't the first time that a large cat has been spotted in the North, either. In 2004, Gardai took part in an airsearch over Monaghan for a large, black cat and even called in a number of Army marksmen to help take down the animal if needs be. In 2008, Gardai responded to reports of a large, black cat sighted in the Ballylawn area of Manorcunningham, Co Donegal.

In both instances, the exact genus of the cat was never determined - some reports called it a puma, others called it a cougar - but one thing was certain. It was a big, black cat and it was extremely dangerous - so this report definitely is serious.

As for how said gigantic black cats got there (and why they always seem to be in the North) is anyone's guess. Speculation seems to suggest it's either circus animals or owners of exotic animal enclosures failing to take measures to keep them properly enclosed, as large cats such as these aren't native to Ireland.